It has been an exciting, learning journey over the last 4 years. Leading up to an election, I’ve been asked by many residents and groups what is one thing I would reflect on; I am hard pressed to find just one issue, so I’ll share a couple.
Let’s start at the top. By that I mean the very top – Governance: Electoral reform and increasing voter turnout.
According to the Canadian Encyclopedia “Electoral reform is the process of reviewing and reconfiguring the structure of electoral politics, i.e., the way in which voters elect their representatives.”
Within our own Region and City, this holds relevance. In 2025, the Ontario government introduced Bill 9 – the Municipal Accountability Act.
Bill 9, if passed, will enable the creation of a new, standardized municipal code of conduct, an integrity commissioner inquiry process & standard framework that would be consistent throughout the province and bring in mandatory code of conduct training for members of council and certain local boards.
Doesn’t that sound like a significant and important issue? Mandatory training for all members of council, with tangible measures for councillors to comply with the prescribed code of conduct.
Simple. Clear codes of conduct and a clear framework for contravention of the code. Democratic, transparent, and consistent. This may go a long way toward reestablishing public trust in elected officials and increasing voter turnout.
With electoral reform, each vote would count equally if we had a system of proportional representation. There are a lot of options for electoral reform – First Past the Post, Ranked Ballot, Alternative Vote – the list goes on. If we start with balance at a municipal level, with voters retaining the democratic right to elect, by ballot, those who control the seats of power, then voters will begin to see themselves as having an equal voice in their local and provincial governments and become invested in their communities and neighborhoods again.
At the Region, we also championed and committed to Elect Respect. I am proud to have signed my declaration to restore civility and respect in politics, to look at, not away from, the harassment and abuse that undermines our democracy.
These 2 issues need all of us- candidates, elected officials, the public – to create meaningful change. We all want fair and democratic systems, with qualified candidates with diverse perspectives to come forward. This won’t happen in isolation or without care.
I’m super proud to have kept my promise to be a community builder. In Ward 2, together with Councillor Nagy, we added two new festivals, that are now in their 3rd year – Spring Fling and Winterfest, bringing together families, local artisans and small businesses to our waterfront. I introduced motions for community art, including 2 veterans’ crosswalks and the gorgeous poppies that adorn the light poles in Esplanade Park, making our shared spaces places for reflection and mutual respect. And, the cheeky and informative anti-littering campaign, “That’s so Trash“, now in its second year, designed as a reminder that we all need to love our green spaces and streets and not cover them with litter. Small things, but things that I hope have a lasting impact on our beautiful city. Each of these ideas originated from you – the residents. Your vote matters.
In October, please get out and vote – and bring a friend with you.
Until the next time, only the best,
Linda Cook
Regional Councillor, Ward 2
